Highschool is where students start thinking about their futures and life gets tougher. As students reach their final 2-years of high school students typically start getting interested in getting their first job. Junior and senior year of high school is the typical age group where students start to pursue experience and achievements to look good on a resume to land their first job. This article is made to assist teenagers with tips, tricks and the process of acquiring a job.

Before you start applying for jobs it is always good to do a bit of research on the specific position and company you’re interested in, as cited in 5 Job Interview Tips for High School Students They Can Apply . It is important for you to research the laws surrounding what type of job a minor can do and the hours they can do. Location is another key point in deciding if the job is right for you.

According to Child Labor Laws | OSHA Education Center  Both the Child Labor Law and the Fair Labor Standards Act aim to protect workers under 18, exposed to unreasonable shifts. Specifically FLSA protects minors in agricultural and nonagricultural jobs. This act restricts the hours and what type of jobs students can do. This law can also determine the wage that you make.

The hours you can work depends on your age. The federal law states that 14-15 year olds cannot work over 8 hours a day, and no more than 3 hours on a school day or 40 hours a week. Child Labor Laws | OSHA Education Center reveals that the maximum hours a minor can work is 18 hours per week. Students are not allowed to work before 7 a.m or after 7 p.m. The only allowed exception is on labor day, then the hour is extended to 9 p.m.

An important question you need to ask yourself to determine if this opportunity is right for you is: Do you have your own car or do you plan to take public transportation or walk?. As cited in 13 Job Search Tips for High School Students these questions are a crucial part to find if this job is right for you. Think about the commute to your home to the job/office. When figuring out the location you may need to learn routes, schedules, or walk times. 

Age certificates and employment certificates are documents that you need to obtain to legally work as a minor. Sometimes these certificates are also called work permits in certain high schools. These documents are made to include your name, age, and details. This is how an employer acquires more information about you. Sometimes a parental signature will be needed. You can find more information about this topic in Child Labor Laws | OSHA Education Center.

Check Back in next week when I will go over Resume writing and Job hunting

Resources

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/explore-careers/get-started/career-prep-high-school/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-hiring-process-while-in-high-school

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/explore-careers/get-started/career-prep-high-school/anatomy-of-a-high-school-resume

https://www.collegevine.com/faq/151081/tips-for-a-high-school-student-seeking-their-first-job

 https://www.collegefundinghero.com/blogs/11-job-hunting-tips-for-high-school-students

https://projectacademy.nsw.edu.au/life-beyond-hsc/landing-a-job-as-a-high-school-student-resume-and-interview-skills/

https://www.chrisscherting.com/post/13-job-search-tips-for-high-school-students

https://www.icevonline.com/blog/top-job-seeking-skills-to-teach-high-school-students

https://www.bgca.org/news-stories/2024/August/interview-tips-for-teens-how-to-be-first-job-ready/

https://www.resumeprofessionalwriters.com/job-interview-tips-for-high-school-students/

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/OC-Whateverystudentshouldknowaboutsummerjobsandtaxes.pdf